Taking Intelligent Construction to a new level

Author: Karina Lumholt

The construction industry, one of the largest and most dynamic industries in the world, is also one of the least digitalised ones. This industry is facing major challenges – on average 80 per cent of all construction projects are over budget and overrun schedule by 20 per cent. In 2014, Surety Information Office estimated that one in four construction companies went bankrupt between 2011 and 2013.

The future of the construction industry seems to demand additional construction work with more complex designs and execution. Environmental concerns and green construction will further push the industry to work in a more efficient way. International trends, such as automation, shortage of skilled machine operators, and millennials entering the workforce and expecting more digital systems, will further create a demand for digital tools.

The construction industry is, in other words, ripe for digitalisation and Geosystems’ machine control is ready to support by developing new game-changing platforms to help companies prepare for the digital disruption.

An evolution in machine control

Geosystems has developed a new revolutionising horizontal platform for all solutions. The new Leica MC1 software supports the digitisation of the heavy construction industry by offering one software solution platform to automatically guide and control all heavy construction machines. 

The new software smoothens data handling and is open to all standard data types, enabling a flexible dataflow to support all workflows on a job site. It is carried by the rugged new hardware platform – the Leica MCP80 panel and MDS Series docking station, ensuring an interchangeable panel between machines on a job site. The new platform is fully supported by digital collaboration software tools, such as the cloud-based Leica ConX.

Cloud-enabled digital collaboration

Personnel and machines on the jobsite need to share the same data and stay in sync with changes so work can be completed on time, on budget and to specification. ConX is an open and user-friendly data handling platform that increases collaboration control operations by:

• Integrating and automating workflows
• Permitting remote control of connected machines
• Enabling real-time data exchange from the office to the field and back.

ConX also allows users to share and visualise positioning, reference model and constructed data. Field and machine control solutions connected to ConX can remotely receive and share information and access the web interface for visualising the data anywhere with internet access.

Manage, monitor and share construction and survey data in real time

All customers will be able to benefit from the new platform consisting of the MCP80 panel, MDS Series docking station, MC1 software, and ConX data handling tool. Smaller construction companies will benefit from the ease of use of the new intuitive user interface with integrated help functions and remote support via ConX. The new machine control solutions integrate seamlessly with older solutions and the customer is supported by the biggest support network on the market.

Claus Agger Sørensen from VG Entreprenør in Denmark explains: “I have the entire dataflow at my fingertips, and via ConX, I can support and help my machine fleet remotely, even when I am working in another part of the country.”

ConX ensures that all machines and personnel have the same data at the same time in real time. This minimises errors and costly rework and ensures more uptime.

Precision matters

Precision matters is a key motto for Geosystems – the organisation's long-time solid footprint in the surveying industry has proved it. For larger construction companies, it is important to work with a partner that has a profound knowledge of all workflows in a complex construction process.

“We soon realised that the crucial thing was to have really strong aftermarket service and support. We needed someone we could rely on for guidance and training, but more than that, we needed someone who knew what our work involved and what technology might help us do things even better – someone with innovative ideas, someone we could work with, someone to innovate for us,” said Phil Butterfield, operation manager at JBG Contractors in Australia.

Part of something bigger

The long-time use of synergies to leverage technology across divisions and the cooperation with other Hexagon divisions has proved very successful.

To keep people and machinery safe and productive, Geosystems’ machine control developed in conjunction with Hexagon Mining the new Leica iCON Personal Alert System (PA) and Visual Aid System (VA) series, which will be implemented in the Leica iCON portfolio by 2019. The iCON PA and VA series will integrate seamlessly with the MC1 and Leica MCP platforms to help prevent accidents.

Machine control solutions leverage cloud and digitalised construction technologies with simpler and intuitive interfaces. This helps users to finish construction projects faster, safer, and with lower costs, higher accuracy and more efficient use of resources.